Music to Your Residents' Ears

Many thanks to Scott Sheppard and the rest of the crew at Inside Mac Radio. We had a great time on the air yesterday discussing in-wall iPod docking stations and the iPod-ready Apartment Home Media Station.

Once it's posted, you can hear the interview as part of their podcast for June 2nd. Here's the link to subscribe in iTunes. These guys really enjoy their work!

:: iPod Your Property
Whether it's in the clubhouse or in the apartment, we're seeing more owners who want to give residents the ability to listen to their own tunes.

Integrating an iPod docking station into your clubhouse stereo is an easy way to give residents this option. There are several great models available, but we recommend the in-wall versions - that way you know the dock isn't going anywhere.

Several docking stations, such as the Channel Vision iBus, even fit inside a standard single-gang wallplate, which means there's no custom holes in the drywall if you want to offer an iPod upgrade option in each unit. Now that's an amenity that a resident can't find anywhere else!

:: Background Music Gets Personal
Besides the iPod, there are a number of great ways to customize music stations to get the atmosphere you want.

One of our favorites is Pandora.

Pandora lets you build a entire radio station (actually, up to 100 stations) based on the custom preferences that you want. Salsa, got it. Classical, no problem. Party tunes, done... there are over 2 million tracks in their database, and the service only costs $36 per year.

There are several devices available that allow you to play Pandora music through a home stereo without the need for a computer. The first was the Squeezebox from Slim Devices, and the most recent is the Sonos system, which Pandora just announced last week.

We like the Sonos system because it allows you to create multiple "zones" - you can customize a unique music station for each room in the amenities area, or you can play the same song everywhere. The system is extremely easy to use... it's interface is similar to that of the iPod. :: Personalization Everywhere
Custom radio stations are just one way to create a unique atmosphere and give your residents a more personalized feeling throughout your community.

As more web-enabled technologies are introduced, and new applications are developed for products like Bluetooth and RFID, the opportunities for personalization through technology will continue to increase.

What technologies are you using to customize your property's atmosphere and give it that unique feel that sets you apart?

Off Topic: Donate Your Miles to a Hero

This weekend we celebrate Memorial Day. While I hope everyone has the opportunity to put down their Blackberries and get away from your email for a day or two, I do want you to check out a website that'll be worth your time.

Operation Hero Miles was created by Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger in cooperation with a number of airline companies in 2003. The program gives family members of wounded servicemen and women free plane tickets to visit their loved ones recovering at military hospitals across the country.

The program is brilliantly simple.

Travelers donate their unused frequent flyer miles, which means that Operation Hero Miles gives ordinary folks like you and me an opportunity to help our troops in a way that makes a real difference in their lives.

This weekend, the participating airlines will match your donation mile-for-mile, from 6 AM, Friday, May 25th through 11:59 pm, Monday, May 28th. So set yourself a reminder, and donate those unused frequent flyer miles before you leave for the weekend!

Visit the program's website at www.heromiles.org for a list of participating airlines. Enjoy your holiday weekend, everyone.

New Form Factors Mean Rethinking Unit Design

Many TVs today are only 3-4 inches thick, and entertainment centers are being redesigned to be far less conspicuous in the home.

So here's the question... are you considering electronics trends like this when you lay out units for a new building?

In most new construction, space is at a premium. Material costs aren't going down. Together, that means that every inch you can get back without sacrificing rent dollars means considerable savings.

So, if you could make each living room 8 inches narrower, how much could that save you in labor and materials? Multiply that savings across 100, 200, 500 units... you're talking about putting real dollars back in your pocket. Many apartment living rooms today are still designed for the old tube TVs, but a walk through Best Buy will tell you that's not what consumers are in the market for. As flat TVs become more prevalent, that extra space simply isn't necessary any longer.

Following consumer trends like this is a great way to gauge how you should consider designing your units. Coordinate your architect and your low voltage engineer to make sure that changes are being made thoughtfully... If you're planning for flat-panels, make sure the living room wall is reinforced to support mounting. Consider including additional video and power outlets at eye level. Think about what other connections the typical couch potato or sports buff will need to make to get their home theater up to par.

If you really want to sell your renters on technology, include it in the rent. This morning, I could pick up a 42" flat-panel TV on Buy.com for under $850. In-wall surround speakers can be wired and installed for a couple hundred bucks per unit. Are the potential savings during construction enough to offset these costs? Depending on where you're building... quite possibly.

These are just a couple ideas, and they certainly won't apply to every project. So let me ask you this... How else has technology affected the way you design a community?

Killer Apps Hit Ft. Wayne

Earlier this week, I had the privilege to speak at the developer's workshop at the Killer App Conference in Ft. Wayne. I was extremely impressed by the turnout, and I was even more impressed with the amount of resources that the city dedicated to the show.

Ft. Wayne is one area where Verizon's FiOS service is available, and the city is making a concerted effort to bring its citizens and the surrounding region into the forefront as a model "wired" city. The conference's expo hall was open to the general public for all to see, with a number of displays focusing on high-bandwidth networks and the applications they enable. There was even a community outreach area sponsored by the city – all around, it was a great effort to get local residents excited about the opportunities afforded by the digital lifestyle.

For the benefit of those in attendance at the workshop, I am posting a quick list of the popular applications that I mentioned during my talk, in the order that they were mentioned. Consider this a work in progress... I'll be adding to it as I find new ones and remember old favorites. You can also download the slides from my presentation here. (PDF)

I'd like to ask for your feedback as well. Do you have any useful applications or products for developers that aren't yet on this list? I fully realize this is only the tip of the iceberg... there are lots of great applications out there for developers... so c'mon, let's hear about some of your favorites!

Applications for Developers:

Resident portals:
Property Solutions – www.propertysolutions.com
Realpage Crossfire – www.realpage.com/crossfire

3D Renderings and virtual tours:
Renderings.com – www.renderings.com

Touch-screen virtual tours:
Computer Presentation Systems – www.cpsusa.com
Aareas Interactive – www.aareas.com

Virtual community:
Second Life – www.secondlife.com

Podcasts:
Garage Band – www.apple.com/ilife/garageband
Audacity – audacity.sourceforge.net
MyPodcast.com – www.mypodcast.com

Publish your podcasts at:
iTunes – www.apple.com/itunes/store/podcasts.html
Podcast.net – www.podcast.net
Yahoo – podcasts.yahoo.com

Web log software (commonly called blogs):
Blogger – www.blogger.com
TypePad – www.typepad.com
WordPress – www.wordpress.com
Movable Type – www.movabletype.com

RSS:
Feedburner – www.feedburner.com

Virtual leasing agent:
VaultWare – www.vaultware.com

Structured wiring systems:
On-Q Legrand – www.onqlegrand.com
Suttle SOHO – www.suttlesoho.com
Home Director – www.homedirector.com

Instant hot water (tankless water heaters):
Rinnai – www.foreverhotwater.com
Noritz – www.noritz.com

Web-enabled thermostat:
Proliphix – www.proliphix.com

Mapping tools:
My Maps at Google Maps – maps.google.com

Instant webpage editing (called wikis):
Wikia – www.wikia.com

Video intercom/concierge:
Elbex – www.elbex.com

Web-based concierge software:
Techcierge – simplikate.com/synth/

Digital signage:
Samsung MagicNet – www.samsung.com

Customizable Internet music stations:
Pandora – www.pandora.com. Use a Squeezebox from Slim Devices (www.slimdevices.com) to play your Pandora radio stations on any stereo system without the need for a PC.

Gaming:
Nintendo Wii – wii.nintendo.com
PlayStation 3 – www.us.playstation.com
Microsoft Xbox 360 – www.xbox.com

On-demand music/movie server:
Kaleidescape – www.kaleidescape.com

Networked fitness equipment:
FitLinxx – www.fitlinxx.com

Networked laundry centers:
Mac-Gray – www.macgray.com/mu2_over.html

Entertainment media serv ices:
Napster – www.napster.com
Ruckus Network – www.ruckusnetwork.com
Grooveshark – www.grooveshark.com
Netflix – www.netflix.com
TiVo – www.tivo.com
Joost – www.joost.com

Home control:
Control4 – www.control4.com
LifeWare – www.lifeware.com
Lagotek – www.lagotek.com
Superna – www.supernasystems.com

Building communications management:
BuildingLink – www.buildinglink.com

Wireless sync-to-PDA/Blackberry for maintenance staff:
Realpage OneSite – www.realpage.com/onesite

Mobile phone applications and reverse 9-1-1 alerts:
Rave Wireless – www.ravewireless.com
E2Campus – www.e2campus.com

Home awareness systems:
Eaton Home Heartbeat – www.homeheartbeat.com

Smart irrigation systems:
WeatherTRAK – www.weathertrak.com

Energy management:
GridPoint – www.gridpoint.com

Solar power:
Sunpower – www.sunpowercorp.com

Energy data displays:
Home Joule – www.consumerpowerline.com/homejoule

RFID products and systems:
Transcore – www.transcore.com
Saflok – www.saflok.com

Local music licensing:
Audiosuite – www.audiosuite.com

Resident technical support:
Support.com – www.support.com

More communications tools for your website:
Meebo – www.meebome.com
Google Talk – www.google.com/talk
Skype – www.skype.com

Multi-provider structured wiring modules:
Suttle – www.suttlesoho.com

Top 10 Questions to Ask Your Architect: Part II

Let's wrap up our list of questions that you should discuss with your architect as an early part of the design process for any project:

5. Is this design suited for any in-unit electronics upgrades I may want to offer?
Reliable technology and sophisticated fulfillment centers make offering HDTVs, home theater systems and other upgrades easier than ever, without putting property owners in the electronics business. Upgrades installed prior to move-in show residents you appreciate both their lifestyle and their time, but require some forethought to ensure you're providing the appropriate level of pre-wiring.

4. Will I have to allow individual satellite dishes on residents’ balconies?
Regardless of the terms of the lease or HOA bylaws, the FCC gives residents the right to mount a dish on their balcony, unless a central satellite TV system is already distributed to each unit. Your architect should plan for a 12’ x 14’ climate-controlled room in the clubhouse or basement to accommodate the necessary equipment.

3. How will access control be managed? Can I pull regular reports from each entry?
Properly managed access control to common areas and resident floors is possibly the best security feature a developer can offer, especially in mixed-use projects. However, as fewer residents use traditional landline phones, be aware of how this trend affects your building's access control systems (as well as burglar alarms, satellite TV and other building systems).

2. How can I use technology in the leasing office and clubhouse to create a vibrant community atmosphere and a lasting impression on my prospects?
You know it’s important to create a powerful impact that entices prospects and encourages a sense of community among residents. Multimedia theater rooms, distributed audio, custom lighting, gaming centers, wireless hotspots and digital signage are all ways to make your clubhouse the main attraction.

1. Can I provide the high-quality telecom services that my residents expect?
Residents are more connected than ever before. Although technology isn’t often the primary reason a prospect chooses to live at a given location, poor services can frustrate residents and increase turnover. Telecom industry standards dictate the distance that signals can travel between connections. Ask your architect to include small rooms for distribution equipment that are typically no more than 150’ from the further point of any unit – this will enable your service providers to meet these standards and provide quality phone, video and Internet services to your residents for years to come.

As with all the other materials and resources used in a project, there are always more questions to be asked and more considerations that can be given to the technology that goes into today's buildings. Above all, it's important to understand the needs and expectations of your residents - as well as those groups that represent your next wave of renters - to give your team the best gauge of which technologies might not yet be the best fit for your business versus those that have become absolute essentials.